Oak Parkers say they like the community’s small businesses and walkability, but they want to see lower taxes, more parking and more access to public transportation, according to a preliminary report from an economic development and lead generation firm the village hired to draft a plan to help bolster the village’s economy.
Camoin Associates, Inc., hired in July 2024 to create a comprehensive economic vitality plan, has not yet finalized its report. The village board is expected to adopt it in March, after recommended strategies are reviewed at a community open house and final tweaks, including addressing board feedback, are made.
The goals of the project, according to Camoin, are to develop an economic vitality strategy with baseline metrics and provide short- and long-term objectives to strengthen Oak Park’s tax base and local economy.
But some trustees were unenthusiastic about what Camoin had to show for their research and engagement thus far. Hiring the firm cost $125,000, some of which the village pulled from 2024 savings.
Where is the plan at?
Dan Gundersen, senior vice president of Camoin, explained that the firm has collected and analyzed data about local demographics, socioeconomic profiles, economic composition and drivers, entrepreneurship and small businesses, retail gaps and real estate.
The Camoin team has also conducted a community survey to gather local residents and business-owner feedback.
“I don’t pick up that the residents want to see Oak Park be … an exclusive community altogether but rather to attract offerings for a variety and a diversity of visitors and residents,” Gundersen said.
According to Gundersen, Oak Park also outperforms adjacent municipalities on almost all economic and social indicators. For instance, Oak Park has a higher labor force participation rate, a growing population and a higher median household income.
“When I think about economic vitality, I think about how do we take a step above,” Trustee Cory Wesley said. “We’re already number one; I want to increase the gap between us and number two.”
While there is a diverse mix of cuisines and small businesses in Oak Park already, there is an opportunity for specialty food retailers and boutiques featuring household goods or arts and crafts to thrive here, Gundersen said. He also mentioned more gas stations or retail stores like Lowe’s as opportunities for profit, but acknowledged those might not be feasible or desired here, and trustees agreed.
The village should work to ensure it is cost effective for small businesses to renew leases and stay in business, according to Camoin’s report. There’s also an opportunity for the village to prioritize more development or acquisition. And it’s important to implement more of the strategic vision for housing recommendations.
“Retail follows rooftops,” Wesley said. “You get a lot of rooftops; You get a lot of retail. It works.”
While there’s no one way to measure economic vitality, according to Camoin, some of the goals they hope to help the village reach include improving the perception of conducting business, increasing the village’s tax revenue, increasing shopping and entertainment offerings, increasing housing units, increasing academic and career pathways and increasing business retention.
Next steps
Gundersen asked for board feedback on Camoin’s progress thus far to help refine the plan as its drafted and eventually adopted.
Wesley, who raised concerns about the racial makeup of the all-white Camoin team working with Oak Park when the firm was hired, said he felt the research did not have much of a focus on diversity.
“The only focus on Black folks here … is on the inequitable educational aspects which we already know,” he said, seemingly unsatisfied with the presentation. “What I would have liked to see more of is how our economic environment and how our regulations and how our processes and procedures are impacting … minority and women owned businesses.”
Gundersen said Camoin is exploring how to support minority and women owned businesses through funding sources, workforce development or technical assistance.
Wesley, who was once the chair of the Oak Park Economic Development Corporation, also said the report offered lots of data, but didn’t explain why it’s important.
“We have to learn from the past in order to build the future,” he said. “I don’t want to start over … We can’t go another decade with a reputation as being business unfriendly.”
Trustee Ravi Parakkat agreed with Wesley that the information Camoin presented validates a lot of items residents and the board members already knew. One thing that was missing, he said, was the concern of panhandling in and around small businesses.
Brandon Crawford, deputy director of development services, said that was grouped under community safety in the survey results.
Trustee Brian Straw said he appreciated that the report draws attention to how housing, transportation access and business success are connected. Things like biking lanes and more parking can all help drive economic growth, he said.
Trustee Chibuike Enyia pointed out that Oak Park is only 4.7 square miles. So, there’s not a ton of space to develop, meaning the board will have to be strategic and “grow within [its] values.”
Trustees overall said they look forward to seeing more details and specifics on actions to take in the final report.
On Feb. 18, representatives from Camoin will host a community open house to share goals and collect additional input. The final economic vitality plan, which will outline issues and include recommendations, is expected to come back to the board in March.